Ok, I started off well (after having signed up my challenge here), the first meditation was ok and in time, but since than I lapsed back into restlessness where I only could handle around 20 mins.

Gonna head off now for today's final attempt, but I am feeling well set so I am optimistic to maybe manage better today.

I have to admit though that I am not forcing myself through, when I just cannot reasonably quieten my mind for a sitting, then I move onto doing something else mindfully. But this doesn't count here, really. Looking forward to see how I will manage this weekend, when I got more quiet time and no time pressure for anything ...

Good luck Vardali!If it gets tough going, try and exert some adhitthana! (strong determination) It will be helpful in overcomng your hindrances.metta

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Friday was not so great, failed to meet my goal and only got in about 30 minutes or so throughout the day.That's life, moving on - The aim for today is 3 hours, no wanting, no outcomes, just sitting.

How'd everyone else get on?

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

I failed last night. I thought about it but then... naaaah, I'll just surf the web a bit then go to bed. Tonight I shall attempt again to sit, even for just 10 minutes. My morning sit was okay though, I remembered it and woke up before the sun rose. Damn morning chorus birds! Quiet your melodious and joyful tweeting!

Then, saturated with joy, you will put an end to suffering and stress.SN 9.11

Did about 1.30 today, roughly half of what I had planned, and I'm fine with that. Might go for another sit before bed.Been reading 'Focused and Fearless' by Shaila Catherine, it's a very good book.

James I know what you mean. We usually have a Tui that nests nearby and it's delightfully distracting, not to mention all the Black birds.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

It's been hit or miss for me. Yesterday was only about an hour of formal meditation (I have committed myself to 2) but there have been days when I easily met my goal. Much of it has to do with when my son decides to wake up so I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. Anyway I wish you all success. Be well.

Mike

To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.-Dhp. 183

I'd say about an hour today, quite a pleasant sit for a change. Guess it comes back to Ajahn. Brahm's 'pay day' theory

I have the morning off tommorow, will aim for about 2 hours.

How's everyone getting on? Are we on track?

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

I cheated really by going for the duration I do most days anyway. However I am attempting to do my practice with extra care, and with a more relaxed attitude, rather than. " Ok Ive done that, now I'll do this ". Tick tick..

I like your sig. very much Blackbird.

The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Khalil Bodhi wrote:It's been hit or miss for me. Yesterday was only about an hour of formal meditation (I have committed myself to 2) but there have been days when I easily met my goal. Much of it has to do with when my son decides to wake up so I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. Anyway I wish you all success. Be well.

Mike

Comes and it goes doesn't it? Ebbs and flows like everything I guess.

Sanghamitta wrote:I cheated really by going for the duration I do most days anyway. However I am attempting to do my practice with extra care, and with a more relaxed attitude, rather than. " Ok Ive done that, now I'll do this ". Tick tick..

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Sanghamitta wrote:I cheated really by going for the duration I do most days anyway. However I am attempting to do my practice with extra care, and with a more relaxed attitude, rather than. " Ok Ive done that, now I'll do this ". Tick tick..

Heh, I know what you mean

This has been a challenge for me too, some sittings more than others.

Ajahn Brahm is, in my opinion, a genius of meditation; his advice is so simple and effective it is easy to overlook. He says that when the mind is restless and concerned with the past and the future to put down the breath and to pick up a simple mantra like "contentment, contentment, contentment..." or "no desire, no desire, no desire" or "no expectations..." or "this is good enough" or whatever else suits you at the time. The reason this works is because a lot of times, without even being aware of it, we are watching the breath with desire (ie. we WANT Peace or we WANT Jhanas or we WANT Enlightenment) instead of letting go of desire which is what leads to these things. When we focus on a word like "contentment" and make that word our meditation object, the mind moves towards contentment, not as a word but as an experience. The word is simply a signpost for the mind.

Ajahn Brahm has said that when he was a young monk this was the bulk of his practice, he wouldn't watch the breath very often, a lot of the time he would be cultivating contentment.

For the rest of this month I think I will stop trying to do breath meditation and instead practice contentment meditation.

With Metta,

Guy

Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return2) Throwing things away3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

What's contentment meditation? In other news, I successfully meditated a little bit last night. Yay for me! Morning sit was good as usual. Dozed off a bit in the last 10 minutes though.Tonight I'll do 20 minutes.

Then, saturated with joy, you will put an end to suffering and stress.SN 9.11

Well. you've come to the right place. Once you've done givng yourself a good schelacking, hit the cushion!metta

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

To borrow words from Ajahn Brahm it is "making peace with every moment". Just cultivating the quality of contentment, being happy to just sit and accept whatever happens or doesn't happen, not wanting to acheive anything. Being kind to yourself instead of being demanding of yourself. Maybe you could call it a form of Metta meditation.

With Metta,

Guy

Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return2) Throwing things away3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

People hear a "silly joke" and mistake the words for the man. I think he adapts his words for the audience. Those who come to hear a talk on Sunday night are attracted by the humour and light heartedness of the Sunday night talks, it's a means to bring people to the Dhamma. But there's a side to Ajahn Brahm that's not on display there, he's a very experienced yogi, people tend to forget that sometimes. He can be quite strict I hear, and expects fairly spotless Vinaya of those who choose to live at Bodhinyana.

I've always thought genuine happiness to be a good yardstick for measuring a teacher. Ajahn Brahm seems genuinely happy.

James the Giant wrote:In other news, I successfully meditated a little bit last night. Yay for me! Morning sit was good as usual. Dozed off a bit in the last 10 minutes though.Tonight I'll do 20 minutes.

Hi James, wanna come for a group sit on Thursday evening? Usually we sit for about 40mins to 1hr.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's probably quite a lofty desire which looks good on paper. But if I can do 50% of the above goal, I'll be a happy chappy.

to you all, let's keep up the good work

mettaJack

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta